Conventional lighting fixtures are highly inefficient. Thus, notwithstanding the fact that they include reflectors, a substantial portion of the light given off by the bulb or other light source is internally absorbed by the lighting fixture so that a relatively low amount of light is directed in the direction to be illuminated.
Further, these lighting fixtures also tend to create an uneven level of light over the area that is illuminated. Thus, the light is brightest directly under the fixture and is less bright only slightly to the side of the fixture.
It would be desirable to have a lighting fixture which has an efficient reflector and which provides a relatively uniform amount of light over the area illuminated by the fixture.
With the foregoing in mind, the invention relates generally to a lighting fixture comprising a reflector. The reflector has the shape of a generally elongated trough with a plurality of interior end walls and side walls that have interior reflective surfaces. The end walls are arranged so that they diverge in the direction which is to be illuminated. Each of the reflectors comprising the side walls includes first and second sections that are arranged so that they converge in the direction that is to be illuminated. Each of the end walls includes means for receiving a light source.
The invention also relates to a method of providing efficient and uniform illumination. The method comprises the steps of providing at least one light source and then reflecting it in two steps to create a total of eight light sources. At some angles some of the reflections are blocked by the light source so that depending on the angle, more or less light sources are available for illumination.